Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-12-03
HELD TO ANSWER
For Trying to Kill His
Three Year Old Son.
GEORGE wESTFALL'S CRIME
Preliminary Examination Before
Justice Austin = His Bail
Fixed at $4,000


charge OF assault to murder Willie
Westfall, h;slittle three. year r-old child
8. e. Mason defended the prisoner
who is an old gray headed man, and
sat dejectedly in his chair during the
examin .tion, expressing no interest IL
the proceedings.
J.J. Caldwell testified: 81 reside
at the reservoir and work for the Los
Angeles Bottle Factory. On Novem
Der Goth saw him with child on his
shoulders, and he went off the railroad
track into the bushes. He returned
without the child. followed to him
and asked what he had done with the
child. He said, Il have thrown it
down in the bushes 1 asked him
where he lived, and he said three
miles up the river. He did not come
back, and went up the trail to the
man-hole near the tunnel, and there
found the child lying on its face ap-
pearing to be dead. l saw two men
on the railroad track, and asked them
to stand by the child while went fo:
a policeman. l went down the rail
road track and met MN named
Mr.. Vantress, and then on to
the depot and notified the police. |
went back and met the parties coming
back with the child. Vantress took
the child to his house and sent for
two doctors. / saw Westfall ON the
bridge over the Los Angeles river
when I first saw him. He started to
run after he got awav from me down
the track. Blood was flowing from
the child's face. / went with Vantress
to his house with the child.
Cross-examined:- Il have spoken
the truth and everything l have testi-
fed to l saw. | was about seventy
five Ieet from Westfall when saw
him with the child on his shoulder.
B. F. vANTREss
Testifed:-I live on Buena Vista
street. On November Goth went to
the tunnel that afternoon because a
gentleman came and told me there
was little boy lying in the tunnel. [
went there and found the little boy ;
blood was oozing out of his ear. |
saw he was alive and picked him up
and carried him to my house and sent
for doctor. He had two bruises on
the side of the head near the ear. He
was quite still. His clothes wrre of a
grey color and his hat was II little
brown hat. l saw Westfall going up
the track with the little child. l
should think the child was be-
tween 2 and 3 years old. 1t
was about three quarters Of an hour
after went up and found the child.
I went to look for Westfall and found
him at the Missouri House washing
dishes. [ asked him what he had
done with the child, and he said he
had left it at his sisters. l arrested
him and told him he had to go with
me. He id nothing else. (Witness
here pointed out the bridge, tunnel
etc on diagram that he had pre-
parody l brought the child from my
house to the police station.
CrOss-examined: am Deputy Zan-
jero. (Witness here identified the
man Westfall as the man he'saw car
rving the child and whom he arrested. }
He was excited at the Missouri
House.
W.. v. LEvERICK
Testified: am police officer, and |
reside in this city. L brought Westfall
from the house of Vantress to the po-
lice station. / had information OF the
occurrence by the telephone. l ar
rested him and brought him to the
police station. He told me that it was
his little boy, and said he was not
dead. He did not confess to me that
he had injured the child.
Cross-examined-He told me that
it was lis boy. Witness identified
Westfall as the man he arrested. He
did not appear excited when l arrested
him.
FRANK OAKLEY
Testified: I am reporter. / saw
Westfall on the day he was arrested.
1 saw him brought into the police
station. He made a confession to me.
1 did not offer any inducements to him
to confess. I simply asked to tell me
the facts. There was an officer there
at the time he confessed to me.
wrote it down as he spoke. 1t was as
follows: eli I must tell you the
truth, I made up my mind that l was
going to take the boy out on the rail
road. Ny intention was to put the
child out OF the way. | meant to kill
it, that is what meant"
He told me it was his son. He told
me that the child was sickly. H.
worked at the Missouri House for $ls
or SIG per month and could not afford
to support him. The people at the
house found fault about the child
making dirt about the house.
Cross-examined-He looked like ar
imbecile, but his conversation did not
lead to that belief.
CAPT. FLETCHER.
lam Captain of the police in thii
city. I heard the conversation ant
confession of Westfall. | did NJ
speak a word. l stood behind the
reporter. The reporter asked him 4
tell all about it. / did not hear Oak
ley say it would be better for him t.
confess. l heard Westfall say that HI
took him up the railroad track t
kill him. He spoke very low. / als'
heard Westfall say that he could no
afford to support his children.
Oakley recalled, stated that West
fall told him he struck the boy with
piece of scantling and then thre'
him in the tunnel.
FRED. G. SMITH
testified. Westfall made confessio
to me without any inducement.
asked him why he wanted to kill th
child. He said he couldn't support i
and it was always in the way. II
picked up a stick, hit the child owe
the head and threw it into the tunne
He did not tell me the child's nam,
Cross-examined. He did not apes
excited. He talked quite rationale,
This formed the case for the peopl'
O. e. Wilson offered no defence an
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